maandag 30 mei 2016

Klazieneveen Marathon

42.11k
Start 12.00

I'll admit to initially not being too enthusiastic about the 4 x 10k (+ 2 x 1k) circuit set up of this marathon.  But it was the only one in Drenthe I could find so decided to enter it anyway.  Turned out it was one of the most enjoyable marathons I've done.  Despite it being a smallish race (only 11 woman and 36 men finished the full marathon, though I think they said that there were 56 starters)  it was never a long lonely plod to the end due to clever staggering of start times of the different shorter distances. The whole afternoon was a continuing circus of passing fast runners.

First of all there was the start, where I was up close to the trio of superfast Kenians who were there for the prize money.  They lapped me several times on their way to their 2:15 goal time.  Fantastic to see these unbelievably fast runners go by.  Then there was the half marathon which started a half hour after the full  one so after a while the faster runners from that distance started to pass.  By the time I got to my last circuit I thought I'd be on my own, but no, the 4 mijl and 10k participants kept me company for that bit. 

Some might think it would be depressing to be overtaken by so many people the whole way but I really enjoyed having the chance to see so many different fast runners up close.  Very different from plodding along at the back of the pack with the other slower runners on a big city marathon.  And I did actually overtake 2 people myself on the first circuit, so wasn't the last marathon runner home.  (Not that that's so bad, but it is nice to have a tiny bit of a race element as well.) 

I ran easily, no breathing problems like I had in Den Haag and Amsterdam in recent shorter races.  So the new asthma drugs really have proven themselves now.  (That and my training then, I don't want to give them all the credit...)  During the last circuit my legs/feet started to have the temporary dead feeling that I had in Marrakech but I was able to just ignore it and keep going and it went away.  (My theory is that it's the body telling you it wants to stop but if you don't it gives up and just lets you keep running to the end.)

I had 4 gels with me and a handfull of dried apricots and dextrose tablets.  There was plenty of water and bananas and oranges on offer at the 4 aid stations.  Made the mistake of pouring too much water over my head near the start, when it was very muggy and warm and I thought it was a good idea to wet my cap for cooling purposes.  My hair was dripping down my back and my shorts got a bit wet too and, as it soon became cooler and showery I ran most of the distance with a damp bum, which means chafing.  Nothing too drastic but I should have remembered after Beemster that it's advisable to apply Vaseline there beforehand.  Ah well, another lesson learnt.  No bra chafing at all this time so at least I got that bit right. 

All in all a really enjoyable day.  I'd camped in the van the night before in a perfect place a few hundred yards from the start. Collecting my number in the morning was all easily arranged.  The whole town was in party mood, despite the threatening thunder clouds and ever time we came through the main streets there was music and cheering and general enthusiastic crowd support.  Really well arranged event with all the overlapping distances to keep the marathon runners amused along the way.

vrijdag 27 mei 2016

Last Intervals

14k
Start 5.30

dinsdag 24 mei 2016

After Ommelette

12.87k
Start 20.26


zaterdag 21 mei 2016

Goudse Hout Loop +

15.59k
Start 10.10

donderdag 19 mei 2016

Station, flyers, then Haastrecht

14.74k
Start 5.35

dinsdag 17 mei 2016

Bloemetjes broek

8.69k
Start 6.40

Did some 400m intervals during a trial run with the flowery Adidas leggings I got on the market yesterday.  Alas they were a little bit too short at the hips and tended to need hoiking up so aren't really ideal for running in.  I'll see if they're any use for yoga.  Forgot to stop the timer when I was stopped to admire the turkey so my average time on the Garmin sites looks slower than it actually was.  

zondag 15 mei 2016

White washing

8.56k
Start 19.34

zaterdag 14 mei 2016

Motocross run

7.08k
Start 10.07

Local club event where we ran circuits of a motocross course.  Lots of hills and sand and twists and turns.  Hard work but enjoyable.  

vrijdag 13 mei 2016

Yasso 800s

16.36k
Start 5.12

Predicted marathon time now 4:40:12

woensdag 11 mei 2016

Mooring measuring

9.82k
Start 19.53

dinsdag 10 mei 2016

Dawn mile repeats

21.86k
Start 5.10

zondag 8 mei 2016

Breda Wings for Life

12.07k
Start 13.00

vrijdag 6 mei 2016

Last minute run

2.99k
Start 21.33

donderdag 5 mei 2016

dinsdag 3 mei 2016

BF 26 Yoga + 2 x mile repeats

7.04k
Start 18.58


maandag 2 mei 2016

5 x mile repeats

15.98k
Start 17.24
Trying out the 'back to back long(ish) run' theory.  Running on tired legs after yesterday.  Could feel my thigh muscles a wee bit but more awareness than actual pain.  After my first fast mile (9:25, haven't run that fast for ages, probably since my Cramond Parkrun in September 2014) I felt terrible but it soon passed and though my later splits were slower I managed to keep going easily for the whole session.  

zondag 1 mei 2016

Katwijk to Scheveningen and back

36.45k
Start 9.57









Long run of 5 hours.  Fading towards the end but wanted to let my legs know what it felt like to be moving for so long as in a worst case scenario this could be what happens in Drenthe at the end of the month.  Listening to a podcast about nutrition I think I'm going to have to think about that aspect more.  Eating to run rather than running to eat... by which I mean I should take more calories (gels?) with me during the run to keep my energy level up.  I had some glucose tablets I took every hour but they weren't really enough.  Apricots? Must practise this more on my next long run.  Anyway, technicalities aside it was a perfect (running) day.  Glorious weather, sunny but not too hot.  Lots of folk out enjoying it.  I stopped for an ice-cream and to refill my waterbottles at Wassenaar.